Last Dance On The Edge Of Eternity
by Graceria Adr
Summary: The Inugumi continue to search for the last few Shikon Shards. But where has Kouga disappeared to? And what is the Tengu no Tarekazari? **Rating for coarse language and adult material**


~Disclaimer - Inu Yasha and all fictional characters/places contained within, excepting characters/places not featured in the works of Rumiko Takehashi, are © Rumiko Takehashi and Sunrise. I claim no ownership of Inu Yasha or its' characters/places and make no money from the writing of this story. Thank you.~ 

*******************************SPOILER WARNING*********************************

This story **WILL** contain spoilers for anyone who has not read up to the current issue of Shonen Sunday. If you **REALLY** want to read my story, but have not read up to the current issue, you can go to Sengoku O-Togi Zoushi and read the translations there. Remember! **YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!**

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In this story, I use a lot of Japanese words and phrases. To avoid confusion, I will include a glossary with each chapter containing all the Japanese terms I used in that chapter. 

**Glossary**

**Hanyou** - Half-demon 

**Kitsune** - Fox 

**Youkai** - Demon (This is a rather vague translation, as there is no true equivalent to 'youkai' in the English language. Youkai are creatures of legend of varying types, some good, some bad. They are classified with ghosts, though they are not dead. I use 'demon' as a translation since that is what the fan-subbers and translators seem to go with.) 

**Miasma** - Acid-like substance created by youkai 

**Jaki** - Noxious Gas 

**Kami-sama** - God 

**Shikon no Tama** - Ball of Shikon or Jewel of Four Souls 

**Shikon no Kakera** - Shards of Shikon or Shikon Shards 

**Inu** - Dog 

**Inugumi** - Inu Yasha's group 

**Ne?** - When used by itself, this is a casual 'Hey'. Can also be used at the end of a sentence where it is like saying 'Wouldn't you agree?'(Female) 

**Oi** - A more forceful 'Hey' 

**Nani?** - What? 

**Nanda?** - What is it? 

**Ano** - Um 

**Hai** - Yes 

**Unm** - This isn't technically a word, but more of an affirming sound Japanese make through their noses. It's kinda like saying 'Yep'. 

**Iie** - No (I use this form when someone is answering a question) 

**Gomen** - Sorry 

**Mou!** - Geez! (Used by females) 

**Sugoi** - Amazing, Wonderful 

**Miko** - Priestess 

**Houshi** - Buddhist Priest 

**Bouzu** - Buddhist Priest (can be rude) 

**Hiraikotsu** - Sango's giant boomerang 

**Taijiya** - Exterminator 

**Osuwari!** - Sit! 

**Che!** - Shit! 

**Chikushou!** - Damn! 

**Shitsukoi!** - Pain in the ass! 

**Yakamashi** - Shuddup 

**Ikinasai!** - Begone! 

**Jii-chan** - Grandfather (Kagome and family use this term) 

**Jiji** - Geezer 

**Dochirahe?** - How are you? 

**Daijoubu** - It's/I'm alright 

**Daijoubu ka?** - Are you alright? 

**Genki** - Energetic 

**Kawaii** - Cute 

**Ohayoo** - Good morning, hello (used before noon) 

**Konnichiwa** - Good afternoon, hello (can be used all day) 

**Ja ne** - See you later 

**Daikon** - Long, white Japanese radish 

**Zori** - Japanese sandals made of woven straw. These are the kind most often worn by peasants as they are easily made, inexpensive and practical for chores 

**Suikan** - Similar to a kimono, but the sleeves are attached only at the back of the shoulders and have a thin string or ribbon woven through the ends 

**Maa maa** - Now now 

**Minna** - Guys ("Oi, minna!" = "Hey, guys!") 

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**LAST DANCE ON THE EDGE OF ETERNITY**   
An Inu Yasha Fanfiction by Graceria 

**PART ONE   
THE GREAT WOLF HUNT! **

CHAPTER ONE   
LET THE HUNT BEGIN! 

Feudal Japan, during the Sengoku Jidai, or "Warring States" period, was a dangerous place to live in. War and poverty were widespread and disease ran rampant. Many people died as a result of such things. Higurashi Kagome had learned all of this in the safety of her modern day school, with her modern day classmates, surrounded by her modern day conveniences. Had her friends told her that she would be one day literally dragged through time, courtesy of a monster in the old, dry well at her home, to experience it first hand, she would have laughed and jokingly told them that she wished she could, if only so that she could pass her next history exam. 

She had grown to take all the things she had always had for granted. She wasn't taking them for granted right now, however. Because, for the last eleven months, she had, indeed, spent ninety percent of her time in the past. There weren't even hot baths here, but there were youkai! REAL youkai, for Kami-sama's sake! (Why had they never mentioned that in History class?) Youkai of all shapes and sizes, most of whom had a taste for human flesh, plagued the area with their presence and here she was, a modern girl, having to deal with them. What a headache! 

The time period wasn't all bad, though. She had made many new friends here, such as the bad-tempered, yet heroic, hanyou named Inu Yasha, the level-headed old Miko, Kaede, Inu Yasha's cowardly flea-youkai retainer, Myouga, the orphaned Kitsune-youkai cub, Shippou-chan, a rather perverted Houshi with a predilection for touching girl's rear-ends by the name of Miroku, and the youkai Taijiya, Sango with her loyal companion Kirara, a two tailed youkai cat. 

Kagome actually enjoyed her time in the past with them, when they weren't fighting enemies who were trying to tear her apart or gain control of her very mind and body, all for the sake of some magic stone ball called the Shikon no Tama, which _she_ had stupidly shattered. Now she could not go home, except for short visits of no more than three days at a time (any longer and a certain hanyou got antsy), until every tiny shard of it was found and the jewel made whole once again. 

To make matters worse, most of the Shikon no Tama was currently in the possession of one VERY powerful youkai in particular by the name of Naraku, of whom they had not seen hide nor hair in almost a month. Naraku had managed to elude them time and again. The last time they had actually _seen_ him was back at Mt Hakurei, when he finally separated himself from his human heart, OniGumo. He then managed to send Inu Yasha's living-dead ex-girlfriend, Kikyou, back to the afterlife by knocking her into a fissure filled with his own highly corrosive miasma. 

This, of course, had sent the hanyou into a long bout of depression over his inability to save her and to set her soul at ease. Looking back on it, Kagome had felt a bit relieved when she heard the Miko was gone, but only at first. She had been jealous of Kikyou, she could admit that to herself now, and it had hurt that Inu Yasha seemed to care more for his re-animated, ex-girlfriend-made-of-dirt than he did for her. But she was not _really_ happy that Kikyou had died in such a way. It was just.. wrong. 

And then came the day when they discovered that Kikyou had not died after-all. She had somehow survived and had been spending her time helping people as a person called Hijiri-sama. Apparently her days were limited, though, as her power was swiftly fading. Eventually, Inu Yasha found Hijiri-sama, but it turned out that she had been merely a paper doll made to look like Kikyou and controlled by Kikyou. At that same time, not far away, Kagome had discovered Kikyou, who was dieing from miasma poisoning, submerged in the water at the base of a waterfall. Kikyou's servants told Kagome that only she, as a Miko, could save her and pleaded that she decide whether to save her or not. Kagome did so without a second thought, but afterward found that she began to regret her actions for Inu Yasha seemed only interested in going after Kikyou. Kagome had been hurt and had said some things to hurt Inu Yasha back. She was quite surprised when the hanyou decided to remain with her instead of tracking his former love. 

Time went on and things seemed to be back to normal. As normal as they ever had been, anyway. Even so, Kagome was aware of a difference in Inu Yasha. There was still a certain sadness about him when he was alone and didn't think anyone was watching. It worried her. She hated to see him in so much pain, looking so lost and forlorn, and knowing there was nothing she could do to comfort him except to be there if he ever decided to open up to her. That hadn't happened, though. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Inu Yasha covered up his pain by acting like his same old selfish, jealous, tempermental (or maybe just mental), yet somehow still-endearing self. Kagome wanted so much to help. If only he would just talk to her. 

*sigh* 

She glanced sidelong at the gold-eyed hanyou, who walked resolutely beside her, and was startled to find him glaring annoyedly at her. 

"Oi! Kagome?" Inu Yasha addressed her in a decidedly irritated tone. 

"Na-nanda?" she squeeked in return. 

The hanyou waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you awake in there? 

She batted his hand away and snapped, "Nani?!" 

*Grrrrr* 

Inu Yasha stopped walking, ears turned back in aggravation. "Do. You. Sense. Any. Shikon. no. Kakera?!! I already asked you **three times!!!**" he ground out through clenched teeth. 

Kagome stopped as well and blinked at him dazedly for a moment before seemingly comprehending the question. "Ano.., I-Iie. Gomen," she mumbled, and stared down at her twiddling thumbs. 

Inu Yasha huffed and slid his hands into the sleeves of his suikan, then looked away into the woods, his nose twitching occasionally. Kagome having not missed his actions, was now curious. Feeling her eyes on him, Inu Yasha turned to regard her questioningly. 

"Why do you ask?" she inquired. 

Inu Yasha made a face and muttered, "I smell that skinny wolf's _stench_. It's recent." 

Surprised to hear this, Kagome chirped, "Kouga-kun's here?!" 

"Maybe, but it's strange.. I only smell _him_," he informed her, an annoyed edge to his voice at her apparent glee. "You really don't sense any?" 

"I already said iie!" 

Having caught wind of their conversation, the rest of the Inugumi came up beside them to add their two cents. 

"That _is_ odd. I wonder where his tribe is..?" mused Miroku. Inu Yasha glared menacingly at the Houshi, who was standing a bit too close to Kagome's backside for his comfort. 

"Don't they go everywhere with him?" Sango asked, as she stepped between them and effectively blocked Miroku with her Hiraikotsu. Not that he actually planned to grab her butt, Miroku wasn't that stupid. He knew that touching Kagome there was akin to committing suicide. Sango, however, was taking no chances. 

Kagome rolled her eyes at their antics. "Usually," she verified. 

"Are you _certain_ you don't sense any Shikon no Kakera?" Inu Yasha asked her yet again. 

Kagome was getting rather irked at his repetitive questions. "_Yes!_ What, you don't trust me?!" she demanded in an accusatory tone. 

"I didn't say that!" the hanyou asserted defensively, "But if I smell Kouga and you don't sense any..." 

Kagome gasped, cutting him off. "You don't think Naraku...?!" 

Save for the shard they had failed to retrieve in the youkai graveyard, there were only a two shards left that were not yet in Naraku's hands and both were currently installed in the legs of a certain rather reckless wolf youkai. How they were going to get Kouga to give them up without a fight, Kagome had no idea, but she was more worried about Naraku at the moment. He also knew that Kouga-kun had the shards in his legs and would stop at nothing to get them from him, including killing him. 

"Not sure," Inu Yasha confessed, "Not that I care if he _did_ go and get himself killed. That idiot could never defeat Naraku!" 

"But there's no blood-scent," Shippou quickly added, seeing that Kagome's worried expression had increased. 

"So he was captured, then," offered the ever-helpful hanyou. "Either way, I just want the shards." 

Miroku shot him a 'Shut up, moron!' look and tried to curb Kagome's fears with, "He's very fast. It may be that he's simply already left." 

Inu Yasha, however, continued to thoughtlessly offer up things to worry Kagome. "Maybe. But that still doesn't explain where the hell his tribe is," he pointed out, much to Sango's vexation. 

The Taijiya interjected with, "Maybe he just left them at home?" 

"It's possible, I suppose," Miroku nodded. Then, to Inu Yasha, he said, "Wouldn't you agree?" 

"Feh! Whatever! It's deffinately just him I smell." 

Kagome snatched hold of Inu Yasha's arm and dragged him toward the woods. "Well, we'll just make use of that power-sniffer of yours to track him down." 

Inu Yasha made a face at that, but gave in to her demand rather quickly. "I'm only doing this because we need those Shikon no Kakera!" he insisted. 

"He's not going to just hand them over," Miroku made mention the obvious fact. 

Kagome had already heard enough from Inu Yasha and really didn't want to listen to Miroku discouraging her as well, so she took a stand for herself. 

"How do you know that?" she snapped, "He might if **_ I _** ask him!" 

She liked Kouga (As a friend, regardless of what he insisted) and didn't want him to die. She wasn't certain how to convince him that it was better to just turn over the shards to her, that was true. But what she _was_ certain about was that she _could_ do it, no matter what Miroku's opinion. 

"Somehow, I doubt that," Miroku muttered and Kagome frowned at him. 

Shippou hopped into Kagome's arms and said, "It's worth a shot." 

"He's been looking for the shards as hard as we have. I truly don't believe he'll give them up without a fight." At this point Kagome was seriously wishing she could just 'Osuwari' the monk to shut him up. Yes, that would feel _real_ good about now. It proved needless as Inu Yasha, weary of listening to Miroku's perfunctory assertions (though he had made plenty himself), decided to come to Kagome's rescue. With a crack of his fingers, he proclaimed, "Well, if he wants to fight for 'em, I'll just kick his skinny wolf ass off a cliff and dig the shards out of his busted legs myself!" 

Kagome glared at him. "You'll do no such thing!" 

"**Keh!** And how are _you_ gonna stop me?!" 

"**OSUWARI!!!**" Kagome shouted. 

***SLAMMMM*** and Inu Yasha kissed the dirt. 

**"THAT'S HOW!!!"**

***GRRRRR*** He had known it was coming, but being sat still wasn't a pleasant experience. In fact, it friggin _hurt_. "Shimatta, Kagome!" 

Kagome stomped up to the hanyou and bore holes into the back of his head with her eyes. "'Shimatta, Kagome', nothing! I DON'T want you two fighting!" 

"Chikushou," was Inu Yasha's ever-so-intelligent answer. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

In the mountain home of a young, female wolf-youkai, there were other plans being made for Kouga. Marriage plans. Using an imitation Shikon no Tama, left over from the time when Itzsumo was making them, Ayamae was dead-set on discerning the secret to detecting the Shikon no Kakera. If Kouga's wife had to be able to see them, then she would learn. She had been at it for months and had recently had a breakthrough. Now she was merely perfecting her technique. 

"Ready, Jii-chan?" Ayamae asked, her back turned to her grandfather, who had the fake Shikon no Tama hidden on him somewhere. "Hai, Ayamae-chan. You may face me now." 

Ayamae whirled around and focused her mind on the task at hand. It took her but a moment to spot it. "THERE! I see it!" she shouted ecstatically, pointing at her grandfather's ear where the tama was tucked. 

Her grandfather smiled a huge wolf-smile, displaying his once-sharp and glistening fangs, now dull and yellowed with age. "You have finally achieved your goal, child," he said with an air of pride, "You're many long months of training have at last brought satisfactory results!" 

"Just let Kouga _try_ and say Kagome's more worthy of him now!" Ayamae declared obstinately. 

"We no longer need this trash!" the old wolf declared and crushed the fake Shikon no Tama at once under a huge, arthritic paw. He then lay tiredly on the ground with a weary sigh. 

Ayamae walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his shaggy neck. "Daijoubu ka?" she asked softly. 

"Hai, daijoubu. Daijoubu. I'm just.. tired." With that, he used his great head to push his only remaining grandchild toward her uncertain future, knowing full-well that he may not live to see her again. "Now, GO and find your husband!" 

"Ja ne, Jii-chan! I'll come back for you when we have become mates!" Ayamae promised, "Then we can finally get what's left of the tribes back together!" With a wave, the confident girl started down the mountain path, her pack of white wolves close behind. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

In a small village some distance from Ayamae's territory, a chocolate-haired little girl played with an energetic, small dog. Suddenly, the hair on the dog's neck stood on end and he started barking at something behind the girl. 

Twisting around to see over her shoulder, the girl was certain she caught sight of a man with a tail, but now there was no one. She rubbed her eyes and looked again,but she and the dog were still without any extra company. Then, hearing her mother call her name, the child toddled into her house to tell her mother all about the strange man she saw. Her dog bounded happily ahead, having completely forgotten the encounter already. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Far from the village, a herd of deer was scattered by the scent of a wolf appearing abruptly in their immediate vicinity. It was a scent well-remembered by this herd, who had absolutely no interest in being within pouncing distance of it's source. They were not present for the aforementioned sources' swift departure. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Only an instant later, at a barren fortress scarred with the evidence of a battle long ago fought, the eerie silence was briefly disturbed by the echo of half-crazed laughter off the surrounding mountainsides. There was no one to look up, no one to investigate the sound in this place of darkness, for the jaki of the hanyou who was once lord here lingered still and drove away all who sought to settle. The reverberating echo of the unheard laughter outlasted the presence of the laugher. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Elsewhere, the Inugumi continued the search for Kouga. The sun was already high in the sky when they came upon his scent in a village, but the wolf youkai in question was nowhere to be found. Inu Yasha crept along on all fours, his nose to the ground, sniffing for any sign that he was still in the area. The scent, as it turned out, was only present in one specific spot and went nowhere else. Inu Yasha did, however, pick up the scent of a human female and a dog which was no older than that of Kouga. He was busy tracking this scent to see where they had gone, when he bumped nose-first into a certain annoying little kitsune. 

"Find anything yet, Inu Yasha?" Shippou enquired. 

Ignoring him, Inu Yasha pushed past and continued sniffing the ground. That is, until Shippou leapt back into his path and swatted the end of his nose with a spinning top. Inu Yasha snapped his jaws at Shippou, as if to bite, and the cub jumped back out of harms' way. "OI!! What was _that_ for?!" he cried, then raced over to Kagome, who picked him up. 

"That was _not_ necessary, Inu Yasha!" Sango glowered at him. 

"MOU! What are you, _rabid_ or something?!" Kagome accused. She cuddled Shippou close to her, glaring daggers at Inu Yasha all the while. 

Inu Yasha stood up and matched her glare for glare. "Am I _what?_ What the hell is a '_rabid'!_" 

"A sickness that makes you _crazy!_" she informed him, twirling an index finger at her temple for emphasis. 

Inu Yasha's glare intensified. "Oh! So I'm crazy now?!" 

"Yes!" 

Inu Yasha crossed his arms and shifted his gaze to Shippou. "Feh! That little _shitsukoi_ should learn not to get in my face if he doesn't want to get _bit!_" 

"Inu Yasha.." Kagome said in a warning tone. 

"Nani?!" 

"Stop picking on Shippou-chan!" she demanded. 

"I'm not picking on.." Inu Yasha started to insist. 

"Inu Yasha..." Kagome cut him off, the threat in her voice very clear. 

Deciding he didn't feel like an 'osuwari' today, Inu Yasha wisely backed down. "Che! Whatever!" 

Kagome rolled her eyes and begged the heavens for help, before enquiring, "Did you find something?" 

"I smell a human female and a dog," Inu Yasha reported tersely. 

Miroku came forward, now that the air-of-imminent-death had dissipated, and said, "No Kouga, though, huh?" 

"Only right there," Inu Yasha told the Houshi, as he pointed to the exact spot where the wolf had stood. 

"Only there?" Miroku asked, foolishly. 

"Didn't I _just_ say that?!" the hanyou huffed. 

Miroku ignored him and turned to the rest of the group. "The girl may know something," he offered. 

"That's why I was tracking them!" Inu Yasha growled. He glared meaningfully at Shippou again, before he informed them that, "They went into that house over there." 

The Inugumi approached the house cautiously and knocked on the doorframe. From inside came the voice of a girl-child exclaiming, "Momma! I told you!" Followed by a mother's chiding, "Hush, Sachiko. I'm certain it's only Shika looking for her basket back." Then the straw door-flap was lifted aside and a young woman of roughly twenty five years stepped out. Seeing the strangers, she greeted, "Oh, ohayoo. You are not who I expected." 

The voice of the child still inside sang, "It's him, it's him, it's him!!" And then the head of a very cute little girl popped out from behind the door-flap. Seeing the Inugumi and not who she had hoped, she pouted, "It's _not_ him," and stomped her foot. 

"Sachiko! That was rude!" her mother scolded, then turned back to her visitors. "Gomen. We do not get many strangers here these days. May I help you?" 

"Konnichiwa," Kagome greeted in return. "We're trying to find a friend of ours and we were hoping you might have seen him." 

"Well, I can't say I've seen anyone new recently. Besides you, that is." She motioned to her daughter, who literally bounced into view, a huge grin plastered on her face, as her mother said, "But my Sachiko here has been going on about a guy with a tail all morning." 

"A guy with a tail?" Kagome and Inu Yasha said in unison. 

Before anyone could comment on their oneness, Sachiko rushed forward, obviously thrilled to be the center of attention. "Yep! I was playing with Kanaye and then he barked and then there was a man with a tail and he was behind me and then he was gone!!!" the child spoke in a rush, without even replenishing her air supply. 

Miroku stooped down in front of the child. "Gone?" he questioned her. 

"UNM!" Sachiko chirped and bounced in response. 

Inu Yasha looked at Kagome and stated, "Kouga. He must've run off." 

"Uht uh," Sachiko denied with a vigorous shake of her head. "He just went bye-bye!" With the last, the girl threw her arms into the air and fell backwards to the tatami-mat floor, her head cushioned by the large bun her hair was tied in, drawing amused expressions from the on-lookers. 

"Go finish your lunch, Sachiko," her mother commanded with a weary sigh. 

"HAI!" Sachiko yipped, she rolled onto her hands and knees and scurried back to her futon on all fours, where she comically flopped onto her stomach with an over-dramatic, **"OOF!"** Pulling her portion of rice nearer, she imitated Kanaye, who was eating a bowl of fish scraps in the corner, by shoving her entire face into the bowl and wolfing down the food. 

"Sorry about that," her mother laughingly apologized, "She has a very over-active imagination, even for a six year old." 

"There's no need to apologize." Sango waved off her concerns with a smile. "She's a genki little thing and so kawaii." 

Kagome nodded her head and said, "Thank you for your help." 

"You're very welcome," Sachiko's mother replied. She wished them, "Good luck in finding your friend." and waved good-bye as they left town. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Miles away, Kouga appeared out of thin air in the place where he, Ayamae and Inu Yasha fought Naraku's discarded hairball-with-teeth. With a triumphant smirk on his face, he held up a pendant in the shape of a human body with a black bird's head, spreading wings feathered in black, green, blue and purple, and vicious clawed feet. "This is perfect!" he crowed, "No matter how far the distance, I can go anywhere I've been before in the time it takes that Inu Kkoro to flick an ear!" 

**FLASHBACK**

Kouga decided to take a walk by himself. Ginta and Hakkaku, his ever-loyal tribemates, had tried to follow him, but he forbade them, saying, "Stay here! I'll be back soon!" As he passed by a village not far from his den-home, he heard some human women gossiping. Normally he would have ignored them and continued on, but something about their tone gave him pause. Kouga stayed out of sight and eavesdropped on their conversation. 

"Have you heard of the old man living in that abandoned shack down by the river?" said one girl, with long black hair, which she kept tucked up under a kerchief. "They say he's a cripple. But, that old man, he wants a house made of youkai parts!" 

Another girl, who carried a basket of daikon on her head, spoke, "How can he manage it, I wonder?" 

"I've heard he has a pendant that can take him anywhere he's ever been before in the blink of an eye!" a third girl, with a large jug of water held in her arms, announced, "It's called the Tengu no Tarekazari, I think. I suppose he intends to use that, somehow." 

"He'll be killed by the first youkai he encounters!" the girl in the kerchief laughed. 

"Good thing, ne?" said the girl who held the jug. "I know I wouldn't want to live anywhere near a house made of youkai parts!" 

The girl with the daikon nodded, "I agree! The very idea of it!" 

"Though, I wouldn't mind having that pendant of his," said little-miss-water-jug. "Then I wouldn't have to walk so far to the planting fields every day. I've worn out all of my zori!" 

Kerchief-girl sighed, "Wouldn't that be nice." 

From his hiding place in the forest, Kouga listened intently. The girls had certainly piqued his interest. With that thought, Kouga made his way toward the river on the edge of town. He would find this cripple and demand the pendant from him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Kouga found the shack in no time at all. He could see the old man, whose legs were grossly twisted, sitting on a tree stump by the water. Kouga wasted no time in approaching him about the pendant. 

"You want the Tengu no Tarekazari, huh?" asked the old man, when Kouga gave his reason for coming. 

"Let me have it," Kouga demanded. 

The old man looked surprised, "You think I'll just hand it over?" 

Kouga grabbed him by the front of his suikan and lifted him off his stump. "Give it to me or die!" 

The old man gasped, but recovered himself rather quickly and said, "You want it? First you have to do something for me." 

Dropping him back onto the stump, Kouga asked, "Do what?" 

"My nephew is building me a house.." 

"Out of youkai parts, I know," Kouga cut in, "What about it?" 

"Obviously, I'm in no condition to go youkai hunting," the old man told him, indicating his twisted physique. "And my nephew refuses to do it for me. He thinks I'm wrong to use youkai parts in the first place, the sentimental fool," he informed Kouga, shaking his head exasperatedly. "If you want my pendant so badly, go and get me four crow youkai's wings." 

"Four crow youkai's wings, eh? That's a cubs' game!" Kouga boasted, as if it would take no effort. "If I get them, you'll give me the pendant?" 

"If you get what I need, you can have it." 

Kouga took off for the nearest crow youkai nest and retrieved what the old man asked for in short order. He then raced back to the the shack with them in hand. 

Passing the wings off to the old man, he said, "Here're your wings." 

The man snatched them eagerly. "Ah, sugoi!" he cried. 

Kouga held out his hand, but when the old man didn't seem to get the hint right away, he indicated, "The pendant." 

"Not so fast, son. I don't have everything I need yet." 

"Nani?!" Kouga snapped, taken back by the man's having changed their deal, "You said you would give it to me if I got those for you!" 

The cripple waggled a finger at him. "What I said was, 'If you get what I need, you can have it.' There're still other things I need for my house." 

Kouga thought angrily. *Grrrrr* "Fine, what else do you need?" 

"The ribs of fifty large snake youkai, a bull youkai's horns and a giant turtle youkai's shell," the old man counted off on his fingers. 

With a huff, Kouga left the cripple to himself and went hunting. A full two days later, he returned dragging everything the old man had asked him for bundled up in a skin of some sort. The old man didn't bother to ask where the skin came from. 

"Is that ALL?!" Kouga asked, as the old man inspected the items. 

He took a look at the skin that had been wrapped around it all and, remembering something of importance, snapped his fingers. "Oh, yes. I almost forgot! I also require the skins of one hundred wolf youkai." 

Kouga was incensed by this. "WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?!!" he shouted at the old man. 

"You have a problem with it?" he asked, genuinely confused by Kouga's reaction. "Do it and the pendant is yours." 

Kouga let out snarl and pounced on the man, knocking him to the ground. He hoisted him up violently by the front of his suikan for the second time. "I SHOULD KILL YOU JUST FOR ASKING!" Kouga roared into the startled man's face. Seeing the cord of the pendant around the old man's neck, he took the opportunity to rip it free and decreed, "I'll just _take_ this instead!" 

The cripple made a desperate grab for the pendant with a gnarled hand, but failed miserably, as Kouga leapt easily out of reach. "You good-fer-nothin! Give that back this instant!" the old man demanded. 

Leaving the old man to eat his dust, Kouga shouted over his shoulder, "Not a chance, Jiji!" 

The old man could do naught but await the return of his nephew in order to get himself off of the ground. He glared at the fast-retreating whirlwind known as Kouga which, a moment later, disappeared. Though whether Kouga had used the pendant or simply gone over a rise in the path was unclear to the man's failing eyesight. 

**PRESENT**

Kouga smirked at the memory. He had shown that cripple the error in attempting to cheat a youkai. And how dare he suggest that the Prince of the youkai wolf tribe would be so disloyal as to slaughter his own kind for the sake of a little pendant. If not for Kagome, he would have simply killed the man in the first place and never made any effort at all to barter for the thing. Clutching the pendant tightly in his hand, Kouga vanished again for parts unknown. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**LATER THAT DAY, NOT FAR FROM THE CRIPPLE'S VILLAGE**

The sun shown down from it's place high in the afternoon sky on a group of way-weary travelers. The Inugumi had been scouring the countryside for days and had yet to find the elusive wolf they were searching for. 

"BAH! This doesn't make any sense. Kouga must be masking his scent somehow!" complained a very frustrated Inu Yasha. 

They had come across Kouga's scent several times already, but to no avail. Each time they found some trace, it would vanish only a very short distance away, if it went anywhere at all. How was it possible that he was evading them? 

Kagome shuffled along just behind the hanyou, more worried than ever. She thought they would've run into Kouga at least once by now. After all, normally he would just come running any time she was in the area. Well, here she was, so where was he? 

"Everyone we talk to either hasn't seen him, or claims he disappeared somehow," Miroku sighed and shook his head as he walked. "It does seem rather unusual." 

Kagome chewed her thumbnail out of nervousness. She knew full-well that Inu Yasha was getting agitated. Though she thought a fight with him would come of it, she could not help but give voice to her worries, if only to find some support in her less-tempermental companions. "I hope he's okay," she mumbled around bits of nail. 

With a sideways glance at Kagome, Inu Yasha reassured her, "You don't need to worry, Kagome. Kouga can handle himself." 

"Inu Yasha..?" Kagome had braced herself for a jealous fit and was shocked to find comfort in its place. 

Unfortunately for Kagome, Inu Yasha could not resist the opportunity to harp on his intended victory over the wolf. "Besides, he has to live long enough for me to take his shards." 

"**Urk!**" Stopping suddenly, Kagome swallowed what compliments she had been planning to give the hanyou and instead shouted, "You're NOT going to take the shards from him!" 

He shouldn't've been, really, but Inu Yasha was surprised by Kagome's reaction just the same. He stopped as well and gaped at the girl. "You're taking his side?!" 

"Who's taking sides!" Kagome yelled back, "I just don't want you to _hurt_ him!" 

"_Exactly!_ You're taking his side again!" 

The group was once more forced to stop moving forward for another of Inu Yasha and Kagome's commonplace arguments. This was a habit that they really must break. Kouga had long been the spark that set off a verbal inferno between the two and it was fast aging. 

Miroku sighed inwardly. Then he looked over at Sango and thought better of suggesting it to them. They would only change the subject by prying into his and Sango's relationship and that was a conversation better had after the battle with Naraku was over, _if_ they were still alive. 

"No, I'm not!" 

"Yes, you are!!" 

"No, I'm **NOT!!**" 

"Yes, you **ARE!!!**" 

As the spat began to evolve into a full-fledged shouting match, Miroku interjected with, "Maa maa. Let's not fight, kids." 

"Who're you callin a _kid!_" 

Miroku had known that admonishing them would only turn Inu Yasha's anger on him, but he knew also that Sango would come to his rescue and diffuse the situation with her common sense. 

"It's going to get dark soon. We should make camp," the ever-reliable Sango suggested. 

Gesturing behind them, Miroku counter-suggested, "I'd much rather go back to that town we passed a while ago. The Lord's house had a strong jaki coming from it." 

Inu Yasha glowered at him. "_Sure_, it did," he muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

"We've slept outside for four nights _in a row_," Shippou complained. 

"It would be nice to sleep indoors for once," Kagome added. 

Starting back for the village, Miroku announced, "We're agreed, then. We will sleep in comfort tonight!" 

Inu Yasha slid his hands into his suikan sleeves and, with a derisive snort, said, "You lot can do what you want." He then turned his back to them and stalked off toward the woods. 

Catching him by the sleeve, Kagome asked, "Where're you going, Inu Yasha?" 

"To find a tree to sleep in! I'm sick of being part of his deceptions!" Inu Yasha told her, while trying to yank his sleeve free of her grip. 

"What deceptions?!" Miroku demanded indignantly. 

Kagome ignored the monk and stepped closer to Inu Yasha. "C'mon, Inu Yasha. Don't you want to protect me in case a youkai shows up?" she whispered so that only he could hear her. 

"Keh!" Inu Yasha scoffed and finally jerked his sleeve away. he thought, now pushing his way through some scrub-brush at the forest edge. 

Hurt by both the fact that he had walked away and also by his response, Kagome tried one last time to appeal to the hanyou. "Inu Yasha, why..?" she began, her voice trailing off as Inu Yasha disappeared into the trees. 

"Leave him, Kagome," suggested Miroku, "He won't go far." 

Miroku was quite correct in his assumption. Truth be told, Inu Yasha stayed right on their heels the whole trip. He kept himself concealed in trees or tall grass, but never lost sight of Kagome or the rest. The hanyou did not trust Kouga to ignore such an opportunity to steal Kagome away again. If he DID show up, Inu Yasha fully intended to protect her _and_ get the shards from him. 

They were almost in view of the town when Inu Yasha picked up the rather familiar scent of two wolf youkai, neither of whom were Kouga. Deciding to abandon trying to hide himself from his friends in favor of bringing to their attention this new development, Inu Yasha leapt into the group's path. 

"Oi, minna." 

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome cried in surprise. 

"Told you he wouldn't go far," Miroku cited their earlier conversation. 

Inu Yasha silenced him with a shout of, "Yakamashi, Bouzu!" 

"What is it?" queried Sango, well aware that the hanyou would not have shown himself without a reason. 

"I smell Kouga's tribemates," Inu Yasha responded. 

"Eh? Where?!" Kagome asked urgently. 

*Sniff sniff* Nose in the air, Inu Yasha pointed them in the right direction. 

Kagome looked to the point he'd indicated. "Toward the town?" she called for verification as she hastened to their destination. 

Miroku spotted Ginta and Hakkaku routing about in the long grass at the edge of the village. "There they are!" he announced. 

"Oi! What're you two doing here?" Inu Yasha demanded in his usual brusque tone. 

"Inu Yasha, don't be rude!" Kagome chided. She then trotted up to the two and asked, "Ginta, Hakkaku, Dochirahe?" 

"Fine, but, have you guys seen Kouga?" asked Hakkaku of her. 

The Inugumi were at once discouraged by this turn of events. 

Kagome turned worried eyes to the wolves. "We were hoping you had." 

"Not since a few days ago..." 

**FLASHBACK**

Ginta and Hakkaku of the wolf youkai tribe woke late one morning to find Kouga gone. They followed his scent as far as a nearby town, where they found an old cripple talking to a younger man who was working on a house apparently made of youkai parts. 

"Oi, Jiji! Have you seen a guy with black hair, pointy ears and a brown tail anywhere around?" asked Ginta of the cripple. 

The old man gave him a withering stare. "You friends of that good-fer-nothin?" 

Ignoring the man's attitude, Ginta asked, "You've seen him then?" 

"That guy stole a very important pendant from me. If I catch him, his hide'll be the first I stretch on my walls!" the old man bellowed with a volume that seemed impossible for one of his advanced age. 

Ginta and Hakkaku exchanged a look of confusion, then Hakkaku asked, "How long ago did he leave?" 

"Ran off a few hours ago," the cripple informed them as he grabbed a broom from where it rested against the wall. Brandishing it like a sword before him, he shouted, "Now **IKINASAI!**" with a swing of the broom. 

Ginta and Hakkaku jumped in surprise, then abandoned the grouchy old man to his ranting. The two followed Kouga's scent out of the village, grumbling about suicidal humans the whole time. They had soon lost all trace of him, however. 

**PRESENT**

"We've been wandering in circles for hours, but we can't pick up his scent again," Ginta told the Inugumi as he finished bringing them up to date. 

Hand to his chin, Miroku mused, "I think we should talk to that old man some more." 

"You're making us go back there?" Hakkaku squeeked. He and Ginta both looked doubtful of the saneness of that course of action. 

Inu Yasha glared at them. "No one's asking you to come!" 

"If you just tell us where he lives..," Kagome began, but was cut off by Ginta saying, "We'll stay with you for now, Kagome-Oneesan." 

Kagome was just about to tell them they'd be glad to have them, when Inu Yasha said, "Feh! We don't need your help!" 

The displaced school girl sighed in exasperation and led Ginta by the arm toward the town. "Ignore him," she suggested, deliberately loud enough for Inu Yasha to hear her. The rest of the group followed suit, leaving Inu Yasha behind to sulk. 

"Oi! What the hell was that?!" Inu Yasha griped briefly, then, receiving no answer, snorted and stalked after them. 

It was not very far, as it turned out, to the old man's shack. As they approached, Ginta pointed to the ramshackle building and announced, "There's the old guy's place." 

"Someone actually _lives_ there?" exclaimed a stunned Sango. Upon appraisal of his home, she noted that several boards were missing from the walls and the thatching on the roof was old, rotted and sparse. A small forest of young trees grew from the roof, which were probably all that was keeping it from collapsing in on itself. From the look of the place, it would fall over if you sneezed at it. 

Sango was distracted from her examination by the voice of a young man. "This is only temporary," he explained from his perch atop a ladder which was leaned up against the youkai-parts house he was building. 

"Where's the old man hiding?" demanded Ginta. 

"You guys are back, eh?" the young man asked Kouga's friends. 

Hakkaku looked annoyed at the man's unsurprised tone. "We lost the trail," he muttered. 

"My uncle has gone to bed," the man told them. "Old folks, they just have no stamina." 

"Well, I guess it's off to the Lord's manor then," Miroku supposed. 

The Inugumi cut through the village in the waning light, all of them being careful to stay quiet so as not to wake any sleeping villagers. Without even looking, Kagome had noted that Inu Yasha had not gone off to find a tree, but was following with them from the rooftops as they crept along. 

"Are you coming, Inu Yasha?" she asked him in whispering tone. 

"I'm not letting you out of my sight with those two around!" Inu Yasha declared, not bothering to whisper back, but instead making absolutely certain that Ginta and Hakkaku could hear him. 

They had no trouble in locating the Lord's manor, which was quite huge and towered over the rest of the town. After a deluge of lies and the usual song and dance of a purification-made-negotiation, Miroku managed to secure them lodgings for the night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Well, that's Chapter 1 for you. Hopefully I will have Chapter 2 up in about a month. (Life keeps my writing ever-slow) Please Read and Review! ^0^& Love and Peace 


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